THE NEW Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust (SBT) brings with him “exceptional leadership skills”, a drive towards diversity and passion for the Bard.
Anup Mysoor has taken over the pivotal role on the board of trustees, which oversees SBT’s work promoting Shakespeare in Stratford and around the world.
And Mr Mysoor brings a wealth of experience to the role, according to his new employers, including a track record in banking, asset management and entrepreneurship, particularly in Europe and Asia.
Amongst other roles, Mr Mysoor was with Citibank for over two decades in London and Hong Kong as a Managing Director in investment banking.
The new Chair describes himself as a global citizen, feminist and passionate advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion.
He holds non-executive roles in the fields of arts and culture, education and gender justice. He is a Governor at Oxford Brookes University and at Rye St Antony School in Oxford. He also serves as a member of Oxfam’s Board for Enterprise Development.
Mr Mysoor said: “The trust is a remarkable organisation which preserves and shares the Shakespeare family homes in Stratford, holds the world’s largest Shakespeare-related archives, conducts research, supports creativity and provides award-winning learning and outreach programmes.
“The organisation is embracing change, reaching out to new and diverse audiences across the world, and is looking to the future with real ambition. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is both a national and global treasure and I am honoured by the opportunity to join at this pivotal time”.
Mr Mysoor will take up the role in September when the current chair Peter Kyle steps down after 11 years, having championed major initiatives such as Shakespeare Week – the annual, national celebration of Shakespeare for primary schools – and steered the organisation through a governance modernisation process.
Ralph Bernard, Chair of the Trust’s Nominations and Remunerations Committee, said: “We were looking for a candidate with an exceptional range of inclusive leadership skills combined with a real empathy for our mission and values, and an understanding of the transformative power of Shakespeare’s words and legacy. Anup’s talent and experience will be wonderful assets to the trust as it rises to future challenges and his passion for Shakespeare’s stories and our work shines brightly”.
